California Riding Magazine • August, 2009

Flying Changes

Ruth and Augie Handley graced the cover of Riding’s July, 1991 issue.

Farewell to San Diego Equine Legend Ruth Handley

Born on a Wyoming homestead, Ruth Handley grew up in the thick of horse and cattle round-ups. She drove teams of horses and even rode horseback to school. Ruth married Augie in 1947 and in 1964 the Handleys started a summer camp, Shadowland Ranch for Girls, in La Jolla. Just one year later they opened a year-round stable where they taught 300 youngsters a week.

The Handleys specialized in many disciplines over the years. They promoted dressage, which eventually contributed to the formation of the San Diego Chapter of the California Dressage Society. They also contributed to the creation of the Santa Fe Hunt foxhunting club, where Ruth served as a whipper-in, helping the huntsman control the hounds. From hunting, jumping and dressage it was only natural that the Handleys would eventually enter the sport of three-day eventing. The Handleys organized the Pio Pico Horse Trials on the Daley Ranch in Jamul, which eventually moved to Del Mar Horsepark in San Diego.

In 1972 the Handleys closed their stable in La Jolla and in 1980 moved Shadowland to Ramona, where they helped two local pony clubs with countless hours of volunteer time. Of the hundreds of riders they taught through the years, the Handleys can count more than 20 that went on to successful professional careers including San Diego’s Jane Weatherwax, an FEI-level dressage competitor, trainer and judge. Weatherwax lived at the Handley ranch for a year as a working student. “Ruth taught me to how to sit the trot,” she says.

The San Diego equine community lost Ruth recently. She died at the age of 90 on June 22 in Ramona.

Congratulations to Polly Hey Panos and Jeff Panos

Polly Hey Panos is a new mom. Polly and her husband Jeff recently doubled the size of their family with the birth of their twins. Timothy Elliott (Timmy) was born June 4 at 11:39 p.m. weighing 6lbs 4oz and his twin sister Mary Ellielynne (Ellie) followed quickly at 11:46 p.m. weighing 5lbs 11oz. Polly is a respected equine attorney in partnership with her father Randy Hey in their law practice, Hey and Hey Attorneys at Law, LLP, based in the Bay Area’s Redwood City. She has been involved with horses for 27 years and has competed on the hunter/jumper show circuit for 25 years. Congratulations!

Quarter Horse Racing Pioneer is Gone

Spencer Childers, who owned a Fresno breeding farm, was the fifth all-time leading breeder of racing Quarter Horses. He was named American Quarter Horse Association co-breeder of the year in 1996 and was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2002. Childers died July 9 at the age of 97 years.

Carole Ann Wall Retires

Therapeutic Riding Center of Huntington Beach founding member Carole Ann Wall has retired after 20 years with the Center. Along with David J. Allen and inspired by the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, also in Orange County, Wall worked with Huntington Beach city officials to request use of two-and-a-half acres on property that is part of Huntington Central Park’s Equestrian Center. In 2008, that part of the vision began to materialize with the completion of a temporary overflow arena on the site. In the interim, the TRCHB and its many volunteers worked their wonders in arenas made available by the Equestrian Center.

“I’ve been a part of the group that brought that dream to fruition,” said Wall at a retirement celebration highlighted by praise and acknowledgement from local and state dignitaries. “TRC is on its way. I can say goodbye feeling good about it.”